Star Student Caught Mid-Rape And For Once The School’s Reaction Is Right

Dear colleges, universities, and citizens of the world: if you want to know the proper way to deal with a campus rape, look no further than this story about a Stanford freshman who is facing multiple charges after being accused of raping an unconscious woman in public.

On January 18th, 19-year-old Brock Turner, a Stanford student and elite swimmer, was arrested after he was discovered on top of an unconscious woman on the campus grounds. Two male students were on their bikes when they came across the scene. Turner ran, but the men chased him down and held him while another student called the police. Because that is what you do when you know someone is being raped. You stop the rapist (if possible) and call the cops. Are we paying attention, people of the world? Cool.

Now let’s talk about how Stanford responded because I think there are some other schools out there (cough cough UVA cough) who could benefit from their example. According to Gawker, on Tuesday, Turner “voluntarily withdrew” from Stanford, though I think the word “voluntarily” might be stretching it; I’m assuming he was given the option of withdrawing or being expelled. Turner has also been barred from campus and will not be allowed to re-enroll, says the Stanford Daily. Stanford will also be performing its own investigation of the crime, “in addition to and separate from the law enforcement investigation,” said spokeswoman Lisa Lapin.

All of that is excellent. But what about his promising swimming career? Well, not only has his profile already been deleted from the Stanford swim team site, but the New York Post reports that, “Turner faces being placed on the USA Swimming Banned for Life list because of his arrest in a sex felony.”

Hell. Yes. Because, again, that’s what you do to rapists — you take the privileges they have in their life (i.e. attending Stanford, being a competitive swimmer) away from them. Thank-you Stanford and the young men who saved this woman for showing the world what it looks like when you do the right thing.

Turner is being charged with the rape of an intoxicated person, rape of an unconscious person, sexual penetration by a foreign object of an intoxicated woman, sexual penetration by a foreign object of an unconscious woman, and assault with intent to commit rape. He was released from jail on $150,000 bail.